This cache was archived in Apr 12 and after emailing the owner, Maxkim, permission was given to replace it. The reason that we wanted to put this cache back out in the geocaching world was because it was our first find ever. It was one of those moments when you are a new cacher that you literally look everywhere and are not actually sure what you are looking for. Stray Conkers was also probably the reason that we fell in love with geocaching so when we saw it had been archived we were a little sad.
Stray History and details of Drive By loop
Harrogate was once just two small country villages, High Harrogate and Low Harrogate, that lay close to the historic town of Knaresborough. But when a mineral spring was discovered in 1571 by William Slingsby, Harrogate’s fortunes started to turn. A book published by Edmund Deane in 1626, The English Spa Fountain, told of the medicinal properties of the iron and sulphur rich water and Harrogate’s fame as a spa town was assured. There is now a dome at the Stray, the site of Tewitt Well, where Slingsby first discovered the spring waters. Several other wells and springs were discovered including the sulphur spring Stinking Spaw. This is situated within the Royal Pump Room , now a museum. The Stray is a pleasant open space covering around 200 acres, created by an Act of Parliament in 1770. This was at the time of the Enclosures Act, where common land was handed to rich landowners and farmers.
Other caches nearby include Stray Cache, which is another personal favourite, Train Spotter, South Park Micro, Tewit Well Nano and A Wherigo In Harrogate's 200 Acre Stray. You could combine Stray Conkers with a drive by loop up Otley Road, turning left along Pannal Ash Road, follow your GPS to Rossett Ponds Geocache. You could include the caches along Leeds Road which include An Odd Couple 24, then along Leadhall Lane to Have A Rest, An Odd Couple 20. With the two cludaraY caches that is 14 all together on a pleasant urban ish loop!
Rossett Nature Reserve is a small site (1.75ha), featuring ponds, grassland and scrub. It is situated in south-west Harrogate, between the playing fields of adjacent schools, towards the edge of an extensive 1980s/90s housing development.
The Reserve was saved from development in the 1980s by the discovery of a breeding population of Great Crested Newts (GCN) at the site. The site
is designated as a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) on the basis of the importance of its amphibian populations, especially great crested newts. I say all this as it is worth a visit!
After Rossett Ponds it is another short drive to Whinney Lane Stile Geocache and then on to Devils Hill Geocache.In the future I am going to place some more caches between those mentioned and then on to Leeds Road extending back to Stray Conkers, creating a pleasant walk around the outskirts of Harrogate.